Moyes would be ‘bitterly disappointed’ with fourth-place finish

David Moyes insists Manchester United are still in the title race, and claims he would be bitterly disappointed if they only finish fourth.

The Scot succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford hotseat during the summer, and when he did so, he inherited a squad which had just claimed a record-extending 20th league title. However, there was also a general feeling many of the players are past their peak, and this has been evident in their defence of the crown this term.

United have already lost six times from their opening 21 fixtures, and this sees them lagging in seventh position and some 14 points behind Arsenal, although they di have a game in hand. Most pundits, and many supporters, believe the Reds are now too far behind in the race for the title, with even fourth place looking an uphill struggle.

However, speaking ahead of the trip to third-place Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, Moyes insists United remain in the race for the title. Indeed, the former Everton boss has even claimed he would be ‘bitterly disappointed’ if all he has to show for his debut league campaign at Old Trafford is qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

“We are still in the title race because there are plenty of games to go,” he said. “We’ve got to believe there’s still a chance. At the moment, the teams to beat in the league are Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal – I think they are the three. So we are probably going to need some teams to drop some points for us to catch them. But I would be bitterly disappointed to finish fourth because I am looking at the number one spot.”